Sunny Flight is an APP that lets you know:
- if your flight is a night flight, a day flight, or both;
- the time duration of the sun light and darkness;
- the side(s) of the plane on which the sun will shine (and its forward/backward and upward angles) for the duration of the flight.
It lets you make an informed choice of your airplane seat, based upon your wish of being in the dark (for comfort, eyesight protection, sightseeing, etc.), or being on the sunny side (photography, etc.); even if you are not seated at a window.
Based on your input for departure airport, date and time; your arrival airport; and the duration of the flight, the app will calculate the sun position, and its relative position to the plane, considering the shortest route (great circle)
Possible uses of this app can be:
- Eyesight protection (as Sun light at certain flight levels has more UV and other radiations than at sea level);
- Photography (to catch a nice sunrise/sunset aerial photo);
- Comfort (to sleep or watch the on-board entertainment system, minimizing the disturbance by an opened window-shade, etc.);
- Sightseeing (looking through the window at the landscape).
IMPORTANT: actual flight paths may not follow a great circle; some reasons can be: climate (storms), tailwinds, air traffic, flight restriction areas (e.g., military areas), political conditions, security risks, waypoints, proximity to alternate airports for emergency landings, etc. Some of these conditions vary and are known only until very close to the take-off.
Sunrise/sunset times are calculated based on an average flight level; for our purposes, they happen at approximately -3.0° (below the horizon).
This app is ideal for the frequent or sophisticated flyer, who cares about his/her comfort; for the informed flyer, who checks sites like seatguru.com or tripadvisor.com; for the eventual traveler; for the aviation aficionado; for crew members; etc.
